Sunday, 31 August 2014

Things You Should Know About Online Diploma Courses

With the inception of online diploma courses, there is no need to attend a conventional high school. One can take the courses from the comfort of his home. Even if you are a working and shouldering family responsibilities, you can earn these diplomas at your own pace. There are several institutions or schools eager to offer courses online. A student needs a computer and internet connectivity. That's it! How to Apply To apply, you simply have to start browsing online for accredited institutions. An education provider that is not recognized should not be opted for even if the course fees are low. Best Schools to Earn an Online Diploma Penn Foster High School A student will get a super career boost if he applies to this school. That's because a candidate would be able to study at his own convenience and pace. Studying here will also not create a dent in your wallet as the tuition fees are quite reasonable compared to the other institutions. You don't need to worry about accreditation as the institute is recognized by the Accrediting Commission of the Distance Education and Training Council and Middle States Commission on Secondary Schools. One can get the diploma in just 9 month for each year of high schooling. There are experienced instructors who will help you with the study. You simply have to email or call the support staff for applying. The programs offered are high school diploma, diploma in building technology, information technology, health care and early college courses. Christa McAuliffe Academy Online This is a private non-profit online school helping students to earn a high school diploma. Students need to finish one course at a time. Before you move onto the next level, you have to pass each of the courses successfully. The fees are $3000 per student per year. Students need to be online on specified times. Keystone National High School There are two options for students. One is choosing the college track and the other is the career track. College track students can study 17 subjects along with honor courses in subjects such as English, American government and Chemistry. And for the career track, one has to study business writing and computer basics. The fees are affordable as there are payment plans, discounts, and even money-back guarantee. Orange Lutheran High School Online It is ideal for pupils who wish to improve their academic qualification and know about spiritual development. One can study subjects like mathematics, English, science and theology. Students cannot study at their own pace; they have to login on weekdays to take part in the courses offered. The admission process is stringent as one has to take a test, submit one essay and have an interview with a staff. The fees are $300 dollars/course. CompuHigh Here students can take up 2 courses at a time and complete one lesson each day in each of the course. The diploma offered is accepted by colleges and universities. The course materials are online and additional books need to be bought separately. Teachers co-operate with candidates on one-on-one basis. Types of Advanced Diploma Courses Besides high school diploma, there are advanced courses such as diploma in business management, legal studies, English language, environmental studies, health studies, human resources, mathematics, statistics, multimedia, and children's studies. Advantages The advantages are flexibility as one can study at their own pace and from the comfort of their homes. Though some schools have specified times to be online, classes are scheduled keeping in mind a pupil's convenience. They can learn as well as work at the same time. This is not possible with traditional classes where one has to attend classes in person. The tuition fees are also affordable. Hope this article was useful and helps people in earning online diplomas. Good luck!

Saturday, 30 August 2014

Are You Cut Out for Online College Courses?

If you are like most Americans, you gave up on pursuing your education years ago. With only about 20 percent of the population with a bachelor's degree and unemployment at all-time highs, getting a higher education has never been more important. If you want more out of life, a more secure financial future or would just like to have more options in the career path that you choose vedic maths , then online college courses may be just right for you. The reasons that people give up on their educational dreams are many. First of all, getting an education is expensive, no matter how you do it. But the financial pay-off is enormous if you get the diploma at the end. Just by getting a bachelor's degree, you improve your chances to get any job, and you will also make a lot more money over the course of your lifetime. Another reason why people stop going to school is because they get a job and get caught up in day-to-day living. Trying to fit a few hours in a classroom every day can be difficult if you have a family to support and take care of. Luckily, online college courses allow you to be able to get the education that you are looking for while not having to give up on any of your responsibilities. Not everyone is cut out for online college courses, since they do take a fair amount of initiative and will power. It is hard to remember to log on regularly and turn in your assignments when you don't have a teacher breathing down your neck. But if you are dedicated to the pursuit of your education and ready to make a commitment, online learning is an easy, affordable and very valuable way to spend your time and money.

Friday, 15 August 2014

Geometry Help Online

Geometry deals with different shapes and the measurement of their size, volume and area. These are measurements that we all make in our minds, on a daily basis. A contractor laying the flooring for a new house needs to make exact measurements to determine how many tiles are required and will use Geometry to arrive at the correct figure. There are many examples of how knowledge of Geometry is essential, in diverse fields like computer graphics and design, architecture, astronomy, medical imaging and more. Studying Geometry is interesting and fun. Students will develop visual reasoning and spatial skills while learning this branch of math. It can be made engaging through the use of objects and shapes which students can identify with. Since almost everything that we use and see can be broken down into geometrical shapes, getting students to see how Geometry can be useful should not be too hard. Students will use a lot of equations to find out the area, volume, perimeter and circumference of shapes and it is essential for students to memorize these. Geometry students should make sure that they practice a lot of sums in order to memorize the formulas and learn how to apply them. Daily practice will also help students understand the properties of the different shapes that they learn about. If students find this subject a bit challenging, they should consider getting extra help with Geometry on a regular basis. Students can find great help online, from a number of online tutoring services. Students signing up for tutoring over the internet find the service convenient and easy to use, while providing excellent tutoring. Geometry tutoring online enables students to work with qualified and experienced Geometry tutors who are available round the clock. Students can approach tutors anytime they want with a doubt or problem they can't solve. One on one sessions can be schedules by students or parents anytime they want. The lessons are conducted through virtual classrooms, giving students the opportunity to access them from home. Online tutoring offers all the benefits and advantages of traditional tutoring centers, at a fraction of the cost. Students who face daily problems with homework will welcome Geometry homework help. It's a great feature that allows students to get help with homework and have it corrected as well so that they can learn from their mistakes on the spot. Other online resources like practice worksheets, games and puzzles and family activities all serve to make learning Geometry fun and develop the students' interest and aptitude in the subject.

Thursday, 14 August 2014

Cyber School for Kindergartners

Is your child ready to start kindergarten? Kindergarten marks the beginning of your child's educational journey, so it is important to start off on the right foot. In kindergarten students reach a variety of important developmental milestones in reading, language arts and math. If you are worried your child will get lost in the chaos of a traditional classroom setting, you may want to consider kindergarten cyber school. Cyber school offers online learning specifically geared toward each child's specific learning needs. Online students have the opportunity to study at their own pace and in an environment that supports them. As a parent, kindergarten cyber schools offer you the chance to spend more time with your child and watch them develop in front of your eyes. Whether the schools in your area can't offer the quality education your child deserves, or your child is not ready for a traditional classroom setting, kindergarten cyber school is an excellent alternative. Kindergarten courses in an online school are designed to help students learn diverse skills. Just some of the activities they may have the opportunity to engage in include: • Writing letters • Writing numbers • Drawing with crayons • Singing • Building • Planting seeds • Making a rocket Depending on their learning levels and interests, students who attend kindergarten through a virtual school can experience educational opportunities that traditional students may never have. The curriculum is state aligned and designed to offer children the head start necessary for success. An online school curriculum focuses on the major subject areas of language arts, math, science, social studies, art and music. Did you know that one of the best times to learn a new language is when you are a child? Students in kindergarten online schools have the chance to go beyond what is taught in a traditional classroom and explore more diverse topics. Your child can engage in Chinese, sign language classes or even learn more about cooking, sewing and home maintenance. The pacing of a traditional kindergarten classroom may not offer your child the time to explore such diverse elective courses, but because online schools are customized to each student's individual capabilities, you can rest assured your child will have every opportunity available to them. Kindergarten cyber schools allow you to engage your child in learning during the early stages of life. You can become an active part of their educational experience from the very beginning. Start your child's educational journey off on the right foot with a customized education. Choose a cyber school that allows your child to be excited about learning and excited about school.

Wednesday, 13 August 2014

Correcting Misconceptions About Online Academies

Despite the growing popularity of distance learning, many people still hesitate to enroll in an online school. Their knowledge may include misconceptions that keep them from taking online high schools and universities seriously. This is unfortunate, since distance learning has a lot of advantages for working people who wish to continue their education or people who are in situations that make attendance in traditional schools difficult. Most people are concerned with the cost of an online education. Most online schools offer reasonable tuition fee rates. In the case of online high schools, there are state-sponsored charter schools that offer distance learning for free. Getting credit for courses one has already taken from another school can lower expenses. This way, a student does not need to pay for all the courses in the curriculum. Some schools also give credit to knowledge gained through relevant life experiences. There are also those who think that the quality of education in an online school is lower than in traditional schools. But then, all schools, traditional or online, are not made equal, and the quality varies from one institution to another. Some ways to gauge the quality of education being offered include checking a school's accreditation and student support, asking to attend a trial class and getting feedback from past and current students and faculty. It is also not true that distance learning is easier or less challenging that the work done in traditional schools. It is true that students have more flexibility in terms of schedule, since they are allowed to work at their own pace. But this also means that, for the same workload, they have to be more motivated and disciplined to be able to complete the course work on time and to get their degree within a reasonable period. The fact that school work is done independently, with contact with peers and teachers limited to chat or email, may lead some people to think that students are isolated and lacking in socialization. This is false, since socialization can be done not just within the classroom environment, but outside of it as well. There are some assignments that require collaboration with other distance learners. Distance learning may be an unconventional way to earn a diploma, but it does not mean that online schools are not respectable. It is important, though, to choose schools with the proper accreditation. To be on the safe side, it is better not to risk your education with institutions that are not accredited or still in the process of getting an accreditation. Getting a degree from a properly accredited school also ensures that the credits earned there can be transferred to another school, whether it's also an online school or a traditional school. It also makes it easier for employers to accept, especially if the degree is from an institution associated with a traditional school, such as universities that offer online degree programs.

Tuesday, 12 August 2014

Online Graduate Program

A master's degree is the perfect tool for working professionals to enhance their learning as well as create more opportunities for their careers. A few decades ago, earning a masters degree as a young professional seemed almost impossible; there was absolutely no way to be able to work with a nine to five job and still have time for education. Thankfully, the Internet and advances in technology have allowed us to connect with different people around the globe, and the possibility of completing this online masters degree has now been a reality. Working at your own pace and time is typical with an online college degree. You do not have to worry about following class schedules or being late for group meetings. Researching independently, writing and submitting reports would play a huge role in your education online. There will be several modules for you to take and will be very beneficial to your degree of choice. For example, if you have pursued a degree in education and you were able to complete a Bachelors degree on the subject, a teaching profession will not be very far behind, assuming that you are able to complete your Masters degree in Education as well. Others have taken it further and completed a Doctorate degree, which would make you a PhD on the subject. You will notice that most science-related courses will also have the same requirements. If you want to pursue a masters degree but are not really looking out for further study, then terminal degrees might be perfect for you. This is usually taken by artists, photographers and painters that want to make a name for themselves in their chosen field. Once you've decided on the course to take in an online graduate program, you can also take a look at the duration of the course. The length of time that it takes to complete an online program may vary from one course to another, and depending on the degree of your choice, it can range to about three or four semesters or equivalent to about 30 hours of credit. There are also schools that offer what they call accelerated learning, wherein you would double the load for each of the subjects in every semester, but you will be able to complete the degree in about half the time. A four year course can be completed in two years with an accelerated program. Think that online graduate programs are right for you? Then it's best to start doing your research and find an accredited college that will bring you one step closer to the profession of your choice.

Monday, 11 August 2014

Elder Care With an Online Nursing Degree

The need for nursing care is expected to grow in coming years, in large part, due to the advancing age of the baby boomers. Larger numbers of people will need assistance with age-related illness and end-of-life issues over the coming decades, making the field of nursing not only necessary but in higher demand than ever before. If you have ever considered a nursing career caring for the elderly, you can capitalize on this growing industry by pursuing an online nursing degree. Not everyone is cut out to care for the elderly. Aged patients come with a myriad of special needs. Nurses who care for older patients need patience, compassion and an ability to deal with the inevitable death of many of their patients. They will in some situations need to communicate and even comfort families of their patients. Sometimes it can be a grueling job but frequently it is rewarding. Many elderly patients find themselves alone in their twilight years. The acquaintances and companions they meet in the form of their nurse providers are sometimes the only friends they have. An online nursing degree can lead to a career as a private nurse, working in the home of an elderly patient who needs round-the-clock care. It might lead to a career in a nursing home or retirement complex. Your nursing degree might lead you to become a nurse working in a physician's office whose specialty is elder care. Your online nursing degree can open many doors to the career specialty of your choice. Some of the more common issues facing the elderly are hip replacements, incontinence and often diminished mental capacity. Nursing patients with these types of needs is demanding work. While you will not learn hands-on treatment techniques from an online nursing class, many of the classes will give you basic instruction that will help you deal with these issues. Whether you choose to pursue a new career in nursing or are advancing your education to improve career opportunities, there are online nursing degrees that will suit your needs. If you are planning to pursue caring for the elderly, check out both the school and the nursing program thoroughly to insure you choose the best options to achieve your career goals. An online degree can be earned while you continue to work, raise a family and live your life. It can also be your ticket to professional nursing. Are you ready to begin today?

Sunday, 10 August 2014

Online Graduate Linguistics Class

I always had this dream to work in the UN as a translator. Unfortunately, I was only fluent in the English language and had only basic knowledge of French. How was it possible to achieve this dream without being strong in two international languages? I shared my passion with a friend who advised me to take graduate linguistics classes. The biggest challenge I had then was the fact that I had a busy schedule hence making it rather difficult to attend college classes. The good news is that when I was almost giving up, I came across online graduate linguistics classes, which worked perfectly with my schedule. The popularity of online graduate programs is on the rise due to the high number of working adults that are interested in furthering their education. Another factor that has led to the popularity of these web-based programs is the cost. Online programs are much cheaper as compared to the other kinds of programs. Combining cost and flexibility definitely made me go for an online graduate linguistic class which I graduated from successfully and got my dream job as a UN translator. Those who have studied online can testify to the fact that the online programs are an evolution of academics. I would be away for over ten hours every day working, which made it impossible for me to attend campus classes in the evening. With the graduate online programs, it is possible to have time to rest, spend with the family and work. Another factor that worked well for me with the online graduate linguistic class was the fact that I reside far from the college that offers this course. I was able to save on transportation costs while studying online. Other costs that are charged for campus-based students such as athletic and medical fees are also eliminated with the online graduate programs. The savings made may appear small but if it is amalgamated for four years, it could end up being a substantial amount. This is a very important point to note especially for those who are faced with the challenge of having limited resources. Since there are many online graduate programs, it is advisable to carry out research before making the final selection. I took time to go through different websites before finally deciding on the one that I enrolled in. I made a checklist and took note of important details such as fees, duration, course outline and the reputation of the program. Once I decided upon the program, I took time to authenticate the details so as to avoid a situation of being exposed to scammers. With adequate research, it is possible to achieve a graduate degree online. Do not allow your dream of furthering your education to remain as just a dream because of busy schedules. Take the initiative to look for a suitable program from the long list available online. I have achieved my life- long dream of working as a UN translator and it all began when I enrolled in the graduate linguistic class online.

Saturday, 9 August 2014

Choosing the Best Online College or University

Online College or University choices are as wide open as the day is long and you want the best that money can afford you. Online education is fast taking on its own dimension in broadening and supplementing our resumes. Getting the most education you can afford and in a time strapped lifestyle as most people are in today is challenging to say the least. Getting an online college or university degree is just as credible as a traditional college degree but it is less expensive, more adapted to your busy life and work mix, plus you can suffer far less sideline interruptions that a land based campus would cause. In deciding what online college or university to choose, you should consider the real interactions you expect and plan on needing before landing on your selection of education providers. Ideally, you want to find an online college or university that is geographically close to where you reside. This allows you the options of having a better opportunity to check in, meet, and have a good relationship with any professors or teachers that are associated with the online classes. Accredited online colleges offer much the same level of education as campus classes and yet by not having all the distraction, you can better focus on studying and at the times that allow you to turn off all your other commotions. Psychology Degrees Online is a popular field to enter and the spectrum from which this profession is leading us, you could be doing yourself as well as others a real service. Online graduate programs and online master's degrees are other levels of education you can complete from the comforts of your own home. While online college or university classes can be flexible, you still have some obstacles that may be somewhat different, than the campus lifestyle classes. Finding the time in your busy schedule to stay focused and regimented to do the required class time is very challenging. It is easy to do the class, but making yourself stay the course, literally is hard. Distance education is the new community college mentality. Finding a less costly education and conveniently accessible. Many local community colleges are seeing more and more students using online college and university choices and less classroom students. Another stigma that is easily overcome with online education is the age of the student to the rest of the class. If you are now older and want to go back to get or finish your degree, or even expand your education to a graduate or masters degree, you don't have to concern yourself by feeling like the oldest person in the class. The choices are many and the specializing of classes offered are detailed, but if you really want to further your education or get a specialized class on virtually any subject, online college or university studies is the way to get it.

Friday, 8 August 2014

The Magic Numbers: A New Way to Teach Math

Great Memories Asking a child to memorize the times tables is like asking them to memorize the meaning of each hieroglyphics on a cave wall. It's the look that's somewhere between constipation and a fear of public speaking. Though it's slightly different for each kid that struggles in math, the feeling is undoubtedly there. It's the sick, sinking feeling of being asked something you don't know and have no way of figuring it out. A set of abstract lines and shapes in the form of numbers from the times tables. For some, this feeling comes every day at the same time; math class. Imagine a student that has never been taught the right way to do math. When a basic facts question comes up in one of the units, like geometry, fractions, or algebra it not only brings up these feelings, but while they are trying in vain to answer it, they can't focus on what is being taught. When asked what 6x7 is, a great deal of time and energy is spent counting up by sixes or seventh until they think they have the right answer. While the focus is on counting sets, the teacher has explained all the details of how to solve the question. Not only are they doing a lot of extra work mentally, they developing bad habits that often never get broken. A good way to look at this is to imagine two students working out side in a garden. Asking the first student what 6 × 7 when they can answer it quickly is like asking them to carry one load of dirt. Asking a student what 6 × 7 is when they can't answer without counting six sets of seven or seven sets of six is like asking them to take seven loads of dirt. At the end of the day the second student will have done six or seven times more mental work than the first. Not only will they be tired and exhausted but based on our great wisdom, the solution is to give that student more work after the school day is done in the form of remedial homework. It's no wonder some kids learn to hate math. At this point, when a child doesn't know the answer they have three options. The first is to contemplate going to the bathroom, a great way to get out of a tough situation and to be quite honest, a quite natural reaction. The second is to rummage through their mind hoping for a strategy that might work even though nothing in the four years prior to this moment has. It's kind of like a frazzled grandmother rummaging through her purse at a car accident hoping to find a stethoscope to help the man with a broken arm. It's hopeless. The third option is to stand and look as awkward and pathetic as possible hoping a classmate will whisper in answer to them. Why do we put kids through this? The problem is, most children minds aren't designed to remember abstract lines or shapes. We are not asking them to remember something concrete, just a bunch of random curved lines. The number eight as it's represented with lines means nothing to them. If it were that easy, everybody would be able to memorize the Mandarin language of symbols in the same way. Somehow their brain is supposed to remember that the number of reindeer pulling the sled is the same as two circles stacked on top of each other. Sounds crazy, but we ask very young children do some very abstract things. Here's a perfect example of how our mind works. When was the last time you read the story The Three Little Pigs. I bet it was at least a year (if not years) ago. You probably have not read a book like this since you were a kid, unless you have young children yourself. In which case, you don't read it every night, at most maybe once in the past year. But even though it was a long time ago I bet you still remember who blew the houses down in the story. You probably also remember the name of the girl who ate the porridge in 'The Three Bears" or what kind of animal "Mary" had. Now let's try some abstract lines. Most people use a computer keyboard at least once a week, if not on a daily basis. Now if you're one of those people, try to answer this question. What symbol is above the number is on top of the number 7 key on the keyboard? Is it an *, %, or $? Your mind probably looks like a very long curse word but you probably still didn't come up with the right answer. Chances are, even if you did guess right, you're still not sure if it's the right answer. Some things are easy to remember and some things aren't. Asking children to remember the times tables is asking them to do something very difficult. Looking had a child trying to figure out what 6 × 7 is, when they never been able to do it fluently, is like watching a car accident. It's horrible and you can feel their pain, but you can't look away. I'm guessing it's the same look I had when my daughter asked me were all the purple color went after she drink grape juice then went to the bathroom. It's a horrible, sick feeling when you don't know the answer. I wanted to explain it to her using biology and chemistry concepts and make a simple but understandable analogy using marbles as molecules, but the truth is, I don't know the answer. The only solace for children stuck in a class they are not good at or simply hate is they only have to spend two thousands hours of math class during their elementary school career. These questions, or basic facts, without question are the most important thing to learn in math. The basic facts in math are adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing using two numbers no bigger than 9. That means questions like 6 × 7, 8 + 5, 13 - 4, and 24 ÷ 8. If the child is struggling with math, chances are they don't know these basic facts, or they don't know them well enough. The basic facts are included in everything in math. In geometry, trying to find the area of a rectangle, a child will have to multiply the width and height. When studying equal fractions, whether you cross multiply or use a different strategy, students will need to be able to multiply two numbers together. When doing algebra you need to be able to add subtract or multiply to find out the answer for each letter. Basic facts in math are like snowflakes in Canadian winters. We can pretend they're not there, but the reality is, they are everywhere. The expectation of a child should be to know the basic facts with one hundred percent accuracy and to do each one in no less than three seconds. Research shows that three seconds for each question is a benchmark for how well a child will do that math. Though answering a question in less than one second is ideal, if it's any slower than that, they are going to struggle. Simply put, a child who was listening to instructions from the teacher will be lost when it comes to numbers that he has to count on his fingers or count sets of. While doing this mental calculation, the rest of the lesson is lost. They are spending all of their time in their head counting. Many kids have learned math in an untraditional and unconventional way. Imagine girls and boys as young as six and seven years old sitting in a circle listening to stories. With giggles and gasps of excitement, they listen to Munsch style stories that including them or their friends. They hear how their mom lost it and broke the kitchen when a spider scared her or how two of their friends made a tower of books that toppled over and smashed into their teacher's car or how their brother or sister crashes a tricycle into a fire hydrant causing their grandmother to get soaked while carrying her groceries home. You watch as this cute and friendly, but slightly delusional substitute teacher wastes your child precious math time by telling stories for no other reason than to get cheap laughs. Then he starts to explain how these stories can help them remember math. With simple, easy to understand words he explains how they just learned how to multiply numbers, something they are not supposed to learn until grade four or five. Now they are even more excited and are hooked. They now listen as the objects turn into numbers, numbers that will be almost impossible forget. A spider become the number 8 since it's body shaped like an 8 and has 8 legs. He also points out that every number has a color, something he says will help them later. He says, "Can you think of something that has handlebars shaped like a 3, 3 wheels and is called a 3-wheeler? I'll give you a hint. It's red." Every hand goes up. (He'll help them with that later... ) Now this is something adults have trouble with, especially teachers. I am a teacher and can tell you there is something deep inside of us that tells us that that we should know everything before we teach it to children. We convince ourselves that we are experts on the Fur Trade because we read a chapter in a textbook written in the 1980's... twice. We for some reason think that we can stay ahead of children, even though we still haven't set the time on our VCR. It's really sad that we still have a VCR. The reality is at this point, we may not be able to keep with their learning. Here's how it works. One story is about Sarah's mom freaking out about a giant spider that crawls into the kitchen. She grabs a golf club and starts swinging at the spider knocking over everything in the kitchen like the flour jar and vase. The spider crawls onto the curtains of the house. She cries out like a wild banshee, swings and misses the spider, but smashes the window. Now for those are now uptight at the level of violence taught to our young minds, please send your concerns to Bill Nye. After telling this crazy and slightly violent story the substitute teacher begins questioning the children. Teacher: We're going to figure out 8 x 9. Can anyone tell me something that is shaped like an 8, has eight legs and is black? Jamie: A spider? Teacher: Nice job. What's shaped like a 9, comes in sets of 9 and is called a 9-iron? Jesse: A golf club? Teacher: Wow! Good job. Now does anyone remember a story with a golf club and a spider? Anna: Yeah. Sarah's mom was chasing a spider around the house and (blah, blah, blah). It's not that she's boring, but with her first few words I know that she's remembered the story. And yes, I am the geeky substitute teacher). Teacher: And what get's broken? (Here's where it gets cool.) Graham: The window of the house. (The teacher get the group to make a 'roof' shape with their hand, turn it sideways and asks them what number it looks like.) Teacher: 7. Right. It the bigger picture so we'll say 70. And how many curtains are there? 2 right. So eight (spider) times nine (golf club) is seventy (house) two (window). It seems surreal so he goes through the story again and the kids are engaged. Go ahead. Read through it again. Pretty cool, right? Now this is one of six stories he tells for their first sit down. Question after question the kids are able to answer and seem excited about them. It's almost like they know they can't get the answers wrong. It is the first time they see connections and start to see numbers in a different way. It's like they're not in the math class that they remember. Now math is fun, fast and easy. Now this teacher who seems like a cross between Christopher Lloyd from back to the Future and Bill Nye the Science Guy seems to have stumbled upon something pretty cool. I guess stumbled might not be the right word. This way of thinking actually has a pretty fascinating history. This book is too short to go through the entire history, here's a quick explanation. This technique of using mnemonics, strategies for remembering things, goes way back even to the time of Ancient Greece. A simple example of a pneumonic is the word 'HOMES' for remembering the Great Lakes of North America. Each letter stands for one of the five Great Lakes; Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie and Superior. Another is using the phrase 'Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge to remember the notes on a musical staff or the name ROY G BIV to remember the colors in the spectrum. There are different types of mnemonic devices, though some are more effective than the others. You can connect information either using logic, like the spider is a number eight because it's shaped like an eight and has eight legs, or using the opposite of logic like a crazy story about Sarah's mom freaking out in the kitchen. Both ends of the spectrum work well. These math stories use mnemonics that work with kids. Because they include them, friends or family, they are wild and crazy, out of this world or magical, they trigger emotions or their senses and they are just plain fun, kids will remember them for a lifetime. Most people can't remember what they had for breakfast three weeks ago, but if they heard a story about an African elephant crashing through the wall of the kindergarten class, picking up the small blonde haired girl and carrying her off to a spray park, they would remember that story forever. By putting numbers into very specific stories with very specific mnemonics, children as young as 5 years old can memorize the entire multiplication facts in a few hours. Consider it takes most children spend years trying to learn them with a very low success rate (less than one in three). Suddenly math becomes fast, fun and easy.